759 Little Sister

Kara: So, you mentioned there's a large gap between the oldest and you being towards the youngest. What do you think the differences growing up were between your life and their life and what were the advantages and disadvantages?

Lupe: Well, I think for the most part, it was a great advantage to be one of the younger ones. I'm the second youngest, so having ten, you know, ten siblings, ten older than me definitely helped be growing up because I always had a lot of people to look up to and, you know, telling me right from wrong, which was always a great help. Financially, it was the biggest advantage because, you know, I hear stories from my older siblings about them growing up because they didn't have a lot of resources and financially my family wasn't very stable so as they got older, I started working and helping out with, you know, all the expenses. It really helped us little ones to really be, you know, grow up in a better way and have all the things that maybe they didn't. And also, one of the biggest advantages was that once the older, my older siblings started working, making enough money, you know, they raised enough money to move here to the United States, and bring the rest of us here and we had the great advantage of going to school here in the United States and being able to learn another language, educate ourselves, continue to go onto college, which is something that my older siblings didn't have, so I'm very grateful for that. I think the only disadvantage of being one of the younger ones is a lot of the traditions that were being passed in our family from generations didn't quite make it to us when we moved here to the United States. We weren't able to do many of the things my older siblings got to do when they lived in Mexico, but you know I really can't complain because we have a lot of other things that they didn't have when they were little.

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

at one point

At one point we did all live together.

At 'one point' means at a certain moment in time.

Notice the following:

At one point, all of us were in one car.

She said that at one point we would have all been at the same school together.

get-togethers

When we have get-togethers, it's really an amazing party because there's so many people there.

'Get-togethers' are small, informal parties and gatherings.

Notice the following:

I really like to organize get-togethers, as I like to see people having fun.

The club used to have lots of fun get-togethers in the summer.

hang out

All the women are hanging out and talking.

When you 'hang out,' it means that you spend time relaxing with friends.

Notice the following:

He called me and asked me if I would like to hang out with him on Saturday.

Would you like to come round to my house and hang out with me and my friends?

doing their thing

The guys are also doing their thing.

When people are said to be 'doing their thing,' it means that they are the doing the things that make them happy.

Notice the following:

All of the dancers were doing their thing on the dance floor.

We were just sitting around doing our thing when the headmaster walked in.

hurt your pocket

It can really hurt your pocket around Christmas time.

When something 'hurts your pocket,' it means that it is expensive.

Notice the following:

The last few weeks have really hurt my pocket.

You have to budget really carefully when you are on holiday otherwise it can really hurt your pocket.

Answer the following questions about the interview.

Keep Listening

Below are some more great lessons!

Vocabulary Challenge

Complete the sentences with the words below.

point • get-togethers • hang out my thing • pocket

Expensive clothes make you look nice, but they can really hurt your .

My friends and I try to have at least once a month.

We at this bar almost every Saturday night.

I like living alone, because it lets me do .

At one during the vacation, I seriously thought about quitting my job and moving to the beach.